1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable fixture, and more particularly, an adjustable fixture for holding a part on a hoist/crane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for hoist/lift/jack-related devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,011,766, Issued on Aug. 20, 1935, to Johnston teaches a an automobile lift of the “roll on” class and having a trough-shaped wheel-supporting member. A wheel-engaging plate is mounted above the wheel-supporting member of the lift, and legs for the wheel-engaging plate is extended downwardly and of a length as to engage a floor and thereby hold the wheel-supporting plate elevated above the wheel-supporting member when the lift is in a lowered position thereof.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,218, Issued on Aug. 25, 1959, to Scott teaches a transmission hoist for a vehicle including seat having a backrest and a dashboard. The transmission hoist includes a first horizontally disposed beam U-shaped in cross section adapted to extend between the backrest of the seat of the vehicle and the dashboard of the vehicle, a U-shaped second beam arranged in spaced and parallel relation with respect to the first beam and positioned therebelow, a first pair of spaced, parallel, and vertically disposed bars extending between the first beam and the second beam and secured thereto, a second pair of spaced, parallel, and vertically disposed bars extending between the first beam and the second beam and secured thereto, a bracket extending upwardly from the second beam and secured thereto, a winch mounted on the bracket, a crank for operating the winch, a cable arranged in engagement with the winch, a pulley journaled in an end of the second beam and having the cable trained thereover, a block and tackle depending from the second beam and connected to the cable, a hook depending from the block and tackle, and a line arranged in engagement with the hook and adapted to engage the transmission being handled.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,784, Issued on Oct. 23, 1962, to Chamberlain, et al. teaches a one-man operable outboard engine carrier including a dolly having a horizontal frame and apparatus for supporting the frame on the ground in a stable horizontal position while permitting travel of the frame over the ground, a hand cart having wheels at its lower end and a handle at its upper end and having supporting apparatus intermediate the ends on which an outboard marine engine is mounted and to which it is secured, and an apparatus mounting the hand cart on the dolly wholly out of contact with the grounds. The apparatus provides for pivotal movement of the cart between substantially vertical and horizontal positions about a horizontal axis located intermediate the upper and lower ends of the hand cart and for swinging movement of the hand cart about a vertical axis with respect to the horizontal frame and while the frame remains stationary. The cart has a frame that is disposed wholly above the horizontal frame of the dolly when the cart is in vertical position. The apparatus includes a separable connection enabling the cart to be wholly removed from the dolly for transportation of the engine over the ground independently of the dolly.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,026, Issued on Jan. 23, 1968, to Mancini teaches an auto transmission jack for an auto lift to support the transmission when released from the auto and permit dropping of the lift and jack until the jack is supported upon the floor on wheels to permit moving the jack and supported transmission away from the lift for repair and re-installing the repaired transmission in the same manner.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,293, Issued on Nov. 20, 1973, to Arnes teaches a saddle for jacks handling car transmissions in confined spaces beneath the vehicle. The saddle has a rectangular plate with four arms slidable transversely to its edges. Upstanding blades are provided on the arms for supporting the load. The arms are secured in their adjusted position by bolt-and-slot connections.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,345, Issued on Jul. 2, 1985, to Schmidt teaches a double lift jack employing a first hydraulic jack having a long and high-speed lift to elevate a platant into an operating position, and a second hydraulic jack mounted on the platant having a short and low-speed lift. The two jacks and the platant are mounted in a sturdy and open-topped housing. The long-lift jack is employed to rapidly elevate the platant, and the short-lift jack into their operating positions. The platant is thereupon affixed to the housing in the extended position using studs that are passed through a lip on the housing as the platant is elevated. A load base is raised and lowered by operation of the short-lift jack. The load base is stabilized by hardened guide rods that pass through guide holes in the platant. The thus-locked platant provides a stable base and precise guidance for positioning of a load mounted on the load base. When the studs are released and the long-lift jack is retracted, the load base is rapidly cleared from interference with a load. An hydraulic control system for the two jacks requires that the long-lift jack receive pressurized hydraulic fluid before permitting actuation of the short-lift jack in order to ensure that the platant is urged into its secured position in contact with the lip of the housing whenever the load base is raised or lowered.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,146, Issued on Nov. 4, 2003, to Reese teaches a creeper having a base originally used for an engine hoist. The base has wheels for easy mobility. The base in its original form looks like an A-shape when viewed from above. Alternatively, the base is modified to accommodate a tilt front end vehicle, such as, a tractor trailer truck. The height adjuster is an extendable/retractable device, such as, an hydraulic cylinder. A support beam connects the base to a platform. A vertical arm support that is, preferably, metal keeps the height adjuster in proper alignment for the range of movement of the platform. The platform has a frame. Although the frame is any number of pieces, it is two pieces in this embodiment. The two pieces include a body section and a chest board section connected by a pivot plate. The entire platform is folded down for easy storage. Each section is, preferably, padded with a body pad and a chest pad, respectively. There are, preferably, three platform pivot points including a first pivot point that attaches the platform to the support beam, a second pivot point where the height adjuster is mounted, and a third pivot point between the chest board and the body board.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2007/0151880, Published on Jul. 5, 2007, to Chapman, et al. teaches a stabilizer to aid in the installation and removal of transmissions from vehicles, which is a receptacle with a bottom and a sidewall. The sidewall is shaped, and of sufficient strength, to support the underside of the transmission while the bottom is flat so as to rest in a stable manner on the lift platform of a hydraulic jack. The stabilizer allows one person to remove a transmission from a vehicle for repair then re-install the transmission when repaired.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for hoist/lift/jack-related devices have been provided in the prior art that adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.